Qube Workings

If PN haven't felt the need to re-activate their streamliners with the current mammoth grain harvest, they will never need them again. This tells me the PN S and A class fleet are all on borrowed time.

If the value of scrap metal was as high now as it was a few years ago, I'm sure they would of gone to their maker by now.

As for QUBE operating old locomotives like the S, B and T class borrowed from various Heritage operators, METRO and SSR, if it isn't economically viable for them, I'm sure they won't continue it for too long. It's been happening all year, so I'm sure they are on top of things. Meanwhile Steamrail and SRHC are able to get a bit of extra income, and gunzels are able to see something other than the usual G class.

Or is it that they continue to operate the fleet to profit maximise, and by holding these locos out of service they are keeping BG freight returns high for themselves?

Could other operators with different cost structures and contracts with customers make profitable use of these locosjames.au

Competition will eventually get them in the end with SG upgrades in NW Vic and yes I agree with you. Its all about the dollars. I would have thought the A classes are more efficient than the X's they're using?

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Could other operators with different cost structures and contracts with customers make profitable use of these locos

In theory, probably.
In reality, no. PN own them, and PN don't like to share.

Its not about sharing, its about not allowing competition....

IMO, this was a failure of the privatisation process and better safeguards should have been written into the privatisation contracts to prevent this potential issue arising.james.au

This question comes up often in these pages. There is only one opportunity to 'share' locomotives and that occurs when the Government Railway is sold. Once the railway is sold the new owner owns all the assets and they can do what they like with them.
At the time of the sale some of the locomotives could have been held back in Government ownership. BUT, this would have reduced the sale price and the spare locomotives available to a competitor would have further devalued the sale.
Should the sale result in a monopoly being formed, or a lessening of competition, the ACCC can apply conditions to the sale, as happened with split up of VR's G class fleet.
I agree with your sentiments though. It is a sad reflection on the dog in the manger approach to business in the rail industry.
Some more enlightened businesses would say, "I can't make money on this task, but if I rent some surplus locomotives to someone who can I too can share in the revenue".
Other more way out ideas are to pool locos and crews across districts. All too hard for us but it happens in other countries.
Neill Farmer

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Qube had some dramas yesterday evening with their BG grain train. Loaded wagons have been left in the yard at Maryborough and the locos have returned to Melbourne light engine. Apparently G515 has a fault.

Contact Carnot

Qube had some dramas yesterday evening with their BG grain train. Loaded wagons have been left in the yard at Maryborough and the locos have returned to Melbourne light engine. Apparently G515 has a fault.Carnot

They left B74 behind for the trip to Nullawil. Would have only had S 303 & 313. Definitely not enough power without the B. B80 has been sitting in dynon siding near the Vline A's for over a week. Is that in working order? Those two B's would make enough power.